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Annual Report of the 
likely to be reproduced than one in which the animal differs from 
its ancestors. 
Thus we see why the pedigrees of animals are valued. These are 
partial histories of families and furnish evidence, more or less conclu¬ 
sive, that for generations past the ancestors have or have not had the 
same general character as has the individual in question. The char¬ 
acter of the more immediate ancestors is more important than those 
more remote; so if we know certainly the character of the sires and 
dams for a half dozen generations back, we need not be anxious 
about those more remote. Pedigree is not all that is important. 
A poor animal may have a good pedigree; a good animal maj r have 
a poor pedigree. It both pedigree and individual be good, and then 
good care be given, we have assurance of success. 
Admitting the desirability of making live-stock prominent in our 
farming system, it is a pertinent question with many farmers, “how 
are we to change? Our farms have been devoted to grain culture; 
we have not the means with which to buy improved stock, nor 
have we the feed, had we the stock.’' In this, as in all such mat¬ 
ters, time is required. A sudden change cannot be made. Grass 
should be sown as far as land can be spared for it. It is fortunate 
that the Northwest is especially adapted to the growth of crops 
which partially take the place of grass, and help us when the grass 
fails. Chief of these is corn. 
By careful selection and skillful management, a farmer may, in a 
series of generations, so improve his stock that the first and last spe¬ 
cimens would hardly be recognized as of the same breed, but this is 
a slow process, and hence the average farmer will do wisely to avail 
himself of the work done by others in this direction. Most farmers 
cannot afford to purchase full flocks or herds of the improved breeds. 
They can afford, however, to make use of superior and well-bred 
males, and thus in a comparatively few years have animals almost or 
quite equal for practical purposes to those pure-bred. If, in addi¬ 
tion to this, even one or two full-blood females can be secured and 
bred from, a great additional help will be had, and it is surprising 
how soon a good-sized flock or herd of full-blood animals can thus 
be secured. 
It is a fallacious and unwise objection that farmers cannot afford 
to pay the high prices asked and received for some specimens of 
imported stock, for there is no need that they should. Of any well 
